Structural gyroscopic phenomena



April 27, 1937. J. E. LEMOINE 2,078,729

STRUCTURAL GYROSCOPIC PHENOMENA Filed March 5, 1936 J- /8 Imp J'asep/iE. Lemane Patented Apr. 27, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Joseph E.Lemoine, Vanco Canad uver, British Columbia,

Application March 5, 1936, Serial No. 67,359

3 Claims.

This invention relates to structural gyroscopic phenomena permitting ofthe demonstration of new and novel movements of predetermined characternot heretofore associated with the operation of a device of this kind.

In a previous United States patent numbered 1,495,911 granted to me May27th, 1924, I therein explained the construction of a gyroscope thatpermitted the demonstration of what was then believed to be novel andpeculiar characteristics of such an instrument, and in the presentapplication I wish to extend and describe further phenomena 1 havediscovered through structural alterations in the gyroscope itself.

While an ordinary constructed gyroscope is in operation it has certainwell defined characteristics of stability, while in rotation, due to theresistance it offers to movement from its plane of rotation, whichcharacteristics can be demonstrated while the axle of the wheel or rotoris rotatably supported in the usual surrounding ring mounting, but thereare other characteristics of movement which cannot be demonstratedunless certain structural alterations are efiected and included in theconstruction of the gyroscope itself, and it is to these features thatthis application is directed.

The provision by which I am enabled to display and demonstate these newand novel movements of predetermined character is more fully describedin the following specification and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing forming part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a simple gyroscope in which slightmodifications have been made in the wheel of the gyroscope to causeportions of the periphery to be out of perpendicular with its axle toset up one defined character of motion when in operation.

Figure 2 is a view of another type of gyroscope somewhat similar to thatof Figure 1 but provided with a round fiat base portion to demonstrateanother character of motion dissimilar to that set up by Figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates a gyroscopic wheel mounted in two hollowhemispherical members that are perforated to lessen air disturbancewithin the shell when the wheel is rotating. This model is capable ofdemonstrating straight line slow motion of traverse when operating.

Figure 4 is a cross section of a gyroscopic wheel having a deflectionformed therein to cause the Wheel to wobble. Deflection exaggerated.

Figure 5 illustrates a truly balanced gyroscope that when suspended fromthe end of a string and set in motion will assume a position like thatindicated in the drawing and will set up an increasing spiral of motionduring rotation.

Figure 6 illustrates the gyroscope shown in Figure 5 after the same haspartaken of a fall- 5 ing movement from the position shown in Figure 5during the giving off of speed of the wheel of the gyroscope to causethe same to fall.

In the drawing like numerals indicate like parts throughout all thefigures, and the numeral 10 I indicates a wheel having an axle 2 mountedbetween end centers 3 within a surrounding ring 4 which is stationarilysecured at right angles within another guard ring 5 which is positioneddirectly over the wheel I which is mounted after l5 the usual manner tohave the minimum of frictional resistance to rotation.

The wheel I has formed therein a slight offset at 6 of its periphery asillustrated diagrammatically in exaggerated form in Figure 4 so as tocause the wheel when rotating to wobble" which has the effect of settingup a slight pulsating vibration within its surrounding frame mountingthrough the axle 2 of the wheel.

This vibration has the effect of causing the gyroscope when set inmotion and the surrounding guard ring 5 placed upon a smooth flatsurface to move and traverse in a direction approximately at rightangles to its plane of rotation (see Figure 1) but not in a smoothmanner of motion but rather in a jumpy fashion somewhat after the mannerdiagrammatically illustrated in Figure 1 at 1.

This motion of traverse is directly contrary to the action of a trulybalanced gyroscope which when released will remain in a practicallystationary position as long as there is sufiicient rotative speed withinits wheel to preserve its equilibrium.

In Figure 2 is illustrated another form of gyroscope having all of thecharacteristics of that of Figure 1 but having a round base portion 8secured to the guard ring 5 at that point immediately below thelongitudinal center line of the axle 2.

When this model is set in motion the effect of the vibration of thewheel I through its wobble is to set up a vibration through its axialmounting upon the supporting framework and round base 8 such as to causesaid base to traverse a circular path of motion so long as the rotativespeed of the wheel I is sufficient to set up a degree of vibration greatenough to allow the round base 8 to vibrate and move over the floor orsurface it is placed upon.

The circular path of motion set up by the gyroscope shown in Figure 2 isdiagrammatically illustrated at 9 by the dot and dash circle, and duringits period of traverse the gyroscope will turn upon its base 8 until itsforward motion is approximately at right angles to its plane ofrotation.

In Figure 3 is illustrated a gyroscopic wheel I having a-wobble mountedwithin a pair of hollow hemispherical members It that when securedtogether along their center line I I forms a complete hollow sphere I2whose walls are perforated by a large number of perforations I3 to allowof air displacement within the sphere when the wheel at right angles toits plane of rotation; r t 1' I have also discovered that when a trulybalanced gyroscope I4 is suspended from the end of a piece of string I5by one of its axial end center mountings and set in motion that thegyroscope will assume an angular position above its point of suspensionat I6 as illustrated in Figure 5, and will set up an increasing spiralpath of movement at the end of the string during the giving off of speedof the wheel of the gyroscope and that this spiral motion isattributable to a gradual falling movement of the gyroscopic body fromits first assumed angular position above its point of suspension IG to aposition in which the axial center line of the wheel mounting assumes anangular position below its point of suspension (see Figure 6) when themaximum of spiral motion will have been reached, after which the spiralmotion of the gyroscope will become smaller and practically nil as theaxial center line of the gyroscope falls from the point it! in line withits line of suspensionat Hi. In Figures 5 and 6 is shown a gyroscopesuspended at it to the end of a piece of string I5 and assuming theangular position of the axial center line of the gyroscope as at 60degrees to the vertical string I5 above its point of support It, thenwhile the gyroscope is'falling from the position indicated in Figure 5to the position indicated in Figure 6 which is assumed to be 60 degreesfrom its vertical line of support I5, but below its point of suspensionI6 then it will have reached the maximum of spiral traverse, and duringthe period that the center pivot 3A falls from the point l8 to a pointI9 where it will be practically in line with its line of suspension I5the spiral motion of the suspended gyroscope will become smaller andpractically nil as the gyroscope becomes still and motionless.

Having now described the phenomena that I have discovered throughstructural alterations in gyrcscopes, what I claim and desire to beprotected in by Letters Patent, is:

1 A gyroscope having a wheel in which the perpendicular center planethereof is slightly defiected laterally at one or more points to causesaid wheel to wobble and set up vibrations within the supportingframework of said wheel when the latter is rotated whereby saidvibrations will cause said gyroscope to set up motion and traverse atright angles to the plane of rotation of said wheel when said gyroscopeis free to move during rotation of said wheel.

2. A gyroscope having a wheel in which the perpendicular center planethereof is slightly deflected laterally at one or more points to causesaid wheel to wobble and set up vibrations in the supporting frameworkof said wheel when the latter is rotated, a flat round base portionsecured to said framework directly below and along the longitudinalcenter line of the axle of said wheel whereby said base is adapted toreceive the vibrations set up in the framework of said gyroscope andcause said base to have motion and traverse a. circular line of motionduring the rotation of said Wheel at high speed.

3 A gyroscopic wheel having an offset in the periphery thereof mountedwithin a hollow sphere, said offset causing said wheel to wobble and setup vibrations within said sphere, said sphere having its walls puncturedwith a series of small apertures to allow of air circulation within saidsphere when the wheel therein is rotating, said vibrations causing saidsphere to set up a line of slow motion traverse at right angles to theplane of rotation of said wheel when said wheel is rotated at high speedand said sphere is free to move.

JOSEPH E. LEMOINE.

